Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

LE BREUIL (best price 10/11) was clearly full of beans on his first start for 219 days at Kempton last time out, but unfortunately that exuberance proved to be his undoing as he blew up and faded at the business end. That said, he still showed he retains all the qualities that saw him defeat a decent field on soft ground in emphatic fashion at Newbury last season and with the fizz now out of his system, one would hope that he will keep up a solid gallop from the front this time around.

CHOOSEYOURWEAPON (NAP) (best price 10/11) proved that he had stamina in abundance when making a winning hurdling/stable debut over today’s C&D last time out and he can put that vital track knowledge to good use as he returns to the Welsh track under similarly testing conditions. The only horse capable of going with the strong pace set by Gowiththeflow, Evans Williams’ inmate then had the resources to out-battle his main market rival with a display of raw guts in a tight finish and that tenaciousness should stand him in good stead for bigger and better tests further down the line. Coming from the point fields, three miles and fences is likely to prove his game in years to come but for now, he remains a bright prospect over the smaller obstacles and he can take this before his signs are raised significantly higher.

One of the definitive memories of last year’s Grand National was the way Blaklion cruised his way around for the thick end of four miles, but in the end, his exuberance backfired on him and he had to settle for a gallant fourth after his petrol gauge flashed on empty late on. Having gone so close, connections will obviously have their signs very much geared towards another tilt next year and following a promising display behind stable mate and subsequent Betfair Chase hero, Bristol De Mai, his preparations for today’s assignment over the big Aintree fences couldn’t have gone any smoother. Behind him that day at Wetherby, VIEUX LION ROUGE (best price 8-1) also signalled that he’s going to be another major player in races over today’s course and having captured this prize in gutsy fashion last season, David Pipe’s charge arguably represents the percentage each-way call of the race on value grounds. Shaping as though he’d be much better for the run at the Yorkshire venue, the son of Sabiango should be cherry-ripe for another crack at this 3m 4f event and with his yard firing on all cylinders judged on activities this week, confidence is high of a big run with a clear round.

Ice Cool Lad is likely to be a popular choice on chase debut having won in some style last time out, but there wasn’t much between him and WALT (best price 8-1) on the bare bones of their hurdles form and Neil Mulholland’s inmate receives the vote on value grounds with that all-important run over fences under his belt. In what turned out to be a hot little contest down at Fontwell 20 days ago (Lithic ran well at Sandown yesterday), the son of King’s Theatre shaped well enough despite just looking as though the run would do him good both mentally and physically and with most of his best form derived from a soft surface, testing conditions here this afternoon enhance rather than decrease his chances.

The decision to drop Acapella Bourgeois in behind horses in the Troytown here last time clearly backfired, so it would come as little surprise to see the Mullins camp revert to normal front-running tactics on their potentially well-treated performance on the return to the scene of that demise. He has, however, rather predictably been installed a short-priced favourite, whereas the market seems to have totally underestimated COUER JOYEUX (best price 10-1) despite his rather obvious-looking claims. A long-standing maiden who often appeared as though he had a glass chin in a finish, he now seems to be a totally different proposition since leaving Sandra Hughes (not the first horse to do so) and arriving here on a crest of a wave following wins at Sligo and Punchestown, the six-year-old is clearly thriving and brimming with confidence under his new tutorship. Indeed, his latest of those victories at the Co Kildare venue came courtesy of a ultra-game battling display and with the time figure he posted also suggesting he’d run up to a decent standard, Philip Dempsey’s inmate can make the most of his light weight in the conditions.

RAPID RANGER (best price 4-1) posted some impressive numbers for a horse of his grade over tonight’s C&D last time out and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t go well again against a similar set of opponents. Towards the rear with plenty on his plate turning for home, David O’Meara’s charge proceeded to run right over the top of his field with a devastating burst of speed in the latter stages and hopefully that crucial change of gear his possesses will be seen to good effect here again this evening.